Sheriffs want lists of patients using painkillers

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-{ Quote: "
Sheriffs in North Carolina want access to state computer records identifying anyone with prescriptions for powerful painkillers and other controlled substances.
The state sheriff's association pushed the idea Tuesday, saying the move would help them make drug arrests and curb a growing problem of prescription drug abuse. But patient advocates say opening up people's medicine cabinets to law enforcement would deal a devastating blow to privacy rights.
Allowing sheriffs' offices and other law enforcement officials to use the state's computerized list would vastly widen the circle of people with access to information on prescriptions written for millions of people. As it stands now, doctors and pharmacists are the main users." }-
Sheriffs want lists of patients using painkillers - New Observer (http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/09/08/669723/lists-of-pain-pillpatients-sought.html)

[caspian]

Sick sick sick.

[ronjor]

Narcotic painkillers are highly regulated by the FDA.

If a relative or family member passes away while taking narcotic type drugs, it is standard procedure to call the police to observe the drugs being destroyed in the proper manner.

All doctors and nurses that prescribe narcotic drugs have an ID number and a record is kept of the drugs they dispense by the FDA.

You can believe the FDA knows where the drugs are being used.

It seems odd to me that local police need additional permissions to get that information.

[Coldmoon]

While there may be a call to search this information in the course of a criminal investigation, it should not be the starting point as there are already instances of law enforcement and/or overzealous prosecutors who misinterpret the level of medications as drug dealing and/or jumping to the conclusion that the physician is acting to enable drug addiction.

While I recognize there is evidence of abuse on both patient and physician levels, I am strongly opposed to allowing Law enforcement to use the prescription database as a way to identify potential criminals. This smells of drag netting and has the potential to disrupt lives or damage them through accusations.

JMHO
Mike

[LockBox]

I saw a story on this a couple of days ago on MSNBC. It was clear to me, and I'm sure most viewers, that they've been wanting this for fishing expeditions. There was a time when cops sitting down and going through pharmacy records would have been considered shocking. Today, more and more privacy intrusions are simply shrugged off. Let's hope this one is not.

BTW, if they really want to deal with this problem, they shouldn't be targeting the addicted end user, but the pharmaceutical companies that make billions off of addictive drugs and doctors who hand them out like candy. It's a circular thing that's win-win for everyone until that user takes one too many. But the police in this case want only to make life more miserable for people already hurting by rummaging though prescription records and making assumptions that may - or may not be - true.

[AKAJohnDoe]

Everyone is a suspect in a facist world.

[LockBox]

-{ Quote: "When Elvis died, his physician was mine. When they drug Dr. Nick in front of the medical board, for obvious overmedication, he was able to make a defense of his license by claiming the withdrawal to the addiction was a worse medical case than the addiction. This included opiates for Elvis' illegal use of them.

Point being, medically, he had a valid argument. I don't want LEO playing doctor with my or anyone's right to be overprescribed (which actually isn't from a medical POV)." }-

And that's a great point. Anybody that's been around this stuff knows that the withdrawal from - even benzos - is far worse than the addiction itself -- and most often even worse than the original condition that prompted the medication in many cases. In an addiction phase when one hits 'tolerance' the last thing you want is a doc that doesn't understand any of it. A lot to be learned here. It's all a slippery slope, but it so often begins with a doc handing it out for minor things (to please a patient and get immediate results) that could be handled without the risk of addiction and the HELL that involved when it's time to stop due to tolerance or symptoms related to long-term use. Tapering off a prescription drug, even slowly, can sometimes be what knocks a person over the edge to suicide.

Really, keeping the government out of it completely is the best solution and let Big Pharma, medical doctors, and patient advocates seriously police their own.

My opinion only and if it was ever the case, this is one where YMMV.

[chronomatic]

I saw this on a Cable news channel several days ago and the lawyers they had as guests were unanimous that this request will never hold up in court. They were actually shocked the police would even make such a stupid request.

This is just another example of how LEO's need to be kept in check by the courts. If they had it their way, we would have a police state (which we are getting closer to all the time). My personal opinion is that the government should stay out of my personal business -- and what my doctor prescribes me is my personal business. I don't even think drugs should be illegal or regulated at all, but perhaps I am too much of a libertarian.

[hierophant]

Hey, most of us can agree about this :) That's pretty cool!

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There is no requirement to show ID to the Doctor or for picking up a prescription.
No address verification.

Doctor gives prescription for Oxycontin.
Take prescription to pharmacy.
Pharmacy calls Doctor to verify.
Pharmacy dispenses Oxycontin.
Using a new name go to a new Doctor, repeat as necessary.

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I've been with people on their rounds to get OC and Totem poles.
OC's were going for about $1/MG
I went into the Doctors office and went into the pharmacy with them.
No ID was ever asked for at any time.

Asking for ID might look good on paper but in practice is something different.